Wembley stage change of heart

THE green, green grass of Wembley means a red, red light for a costly redesign to move concert stages back into the seating area, as the stadium chiefs feel they can meet their current targets without it.

Wembley National Stadium Limited had vowed to break even by 2012 – a big ask given the pressure to reduce concert dates due to the state of the pitch.

However, with negotiations about to start over a summer and autumn schedule, the fact that the surface recovered so quickly from two Muse concerts six weeks ago keeps alive the prospect of in-season use of the venue for other major events.

But the future of Green Point Stadium in Cape Town is rather bleaker after SAIL Stadefrance decided a 30-year lease is not worth the risk with the stadium projected to haemorrhage money over the next five years.

It leaves World Cup organiser Danny Jordaan with egg on his face after promising the Leaders in Football Conference last week: “The stadiums will not become white elephants.”

It seems FIFA’s only legacy in Cape Town will be much higher rates for residents, as somebody has to pick up the bills.